Two men found guilty of murdering Roy Collins

Steve Collins, with his family including his wife Carmel (right), son Steve Jnr and daughter Leanne, speaking to media on the murder of his son Roy Collins, outside the courts this afternoon. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill / The Irish Times

The Special Criminal Court has found two men guilty of the murder of Limerick businessman Roy Collins over five years ago. Ms Justice Iseult O’Malley, presiding gave the verdict of the three-judge court, after reading out an almost two-hour judgement.

Wayne Dundon (36), of Lenihan Avenue, Prospect and Nathan Killeen (24) of Hyde Road, Prospect, had pleaded not guilty to the murder of 35-year-old Roy Collins at Coin Castle Amusements, Roxboro Road Shopping Centre on April 9th, 2009. They were both given life sentences today.

Mr Collins’s father Steve told the court this morning that his son was innocent man and an honourable member of society who had been murdered by “cowardly, evil men”.

The non-jury court heard during 29-day trial that Mr Collins was at work around noon that day when a gunman entered his amusement arcade and discharged a single shot, hitting him in the chest. He was conscious for a time, but his life could not be saved. The court was satisfied with the prosecution case that Wayne Dundon directed the murder from prison, Nathan Killeen was the getaway driver and another man, James Dillon, was the gunman.

During the trial, Steve Collins, father of the victim, told the court that in April 2009 he was running The Steering Wheel pub and his son Roy was operating the Coin Castle Amusement Arcade. He said he had been running the pub for 22 years , while Roy had been running the amusement arcade for about five years.

He said he left for work at 7.40 am with an armed escort as he had every day. His son Roy popped in for a chat around 11 and then left to open up the amusement arcade. Mr Collins said that around noon one of his barmen told him there was “a fellow bleeding next door.” He ran next door to the arcade and saw his son crouched on his knees holding himself.

Roy said:“I’m after being shot Dad” and when he asked him did he see who shot him, his son replied :“No.”

Mr Collins said he did his best to comfort his son and his son told him how much he loved him and his mother. Then the gardaí and an ambulance arrived and Roy was taken to hospital.